Racked programming control means

ABSTRACT

Programming control means, primarily for a straight bar knitting machine, having a punched chart racking mechanism racked once per course, auxiliary racking mechanism also racked once per course, indexing mechanism movable with the auxiliary ratchet mechanism, means under control of holes in the punched chart for introducing the auxiliary ratchet mechanism and indexing means, and means under control of the indexing means for rendering the punched chart racking mechanism inoperative for periods governed by the index pitch of the indexing mechanism.

[ li 'eh, Z 125, 119713 {54] RAHMED PWiDlGdlilAIi iih/ilihli Clllihl iill iifillh MEANS [72] inventor: Collin mining, Syston, England [73] Assignee: Wiilliam Cotton Limited [22] Filed: hlov. 255, 19W

[21] Appl. No; Tmflwi {30] li oieign Application ll niority 19min Dec. 6, 1967 Great Britain ..55,518/67 [51] lint. C1. ."Dti ih iii/6o [58] Field of Search ..66/155, 154 A, 154, 89; 139/326 [56] Cited! UNiTED STATES PATENTS 2,324,221 7/1943 Luhn ..66/l55 hi 2,516,514 7/1950 laehnei "166/155 Bentley et al. 1.66/1 54- M Hathaway 1 39/326 Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds AttorneylLarson, Taylor & Hinds Programming control means, primarily for a straight bar knitting machine, having a punched chart racking mechanism racked once per course, auxiliary racking mechanism also racked once per course, indexing mechanism movable with the auxiiiary ratchet mechanism, means under control of holes in the punched chart for introdnciirig the auxiliary ratchet mechanism and indexing means, and means under control of the indexing means for rendering the punched chart racking mechanism inoperative for periods governed by the index pitch of the indexing mechanism.

PATENIED FEB 2 2 I972 SHEET 2 0F 3 PATENTEDFEBZZ 1912 3, 643 .NE

' sum 0F a FEGA.

lltA ClhilElDl PROGRAMMING tCtllhl'll'llitlllh MEANS CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED AEPLlCATlONS Reference is made to British Patent Application No. 55518/67 of 6th Dec. 1967, William Cotton Limited, from which priority is claimed.

This invention relates to improvements in racked programming control means of the type comprising a programming chart, having a plurality of punched holes, a plurality of feelers movably cooperating with the punched holes for operating electric control switches selectively, and ratchet wheel and pawl mechanism for racking the programming chart when required.

If there was provided one row of holes for each course of fabric to be produced the chart would be of undesirably long length and our US. Pat. No. 3,141,316 provides for considerable saving of the chart length by the use of counting and associated control mechanism which although satisfactory in use is not always suitable for economic reasons.

An object of the invention is to provide racked pro gramming control means of the type referred to having a chart saver device of such construction as to be suitable for certain instances where economy is an important factor.

The invention provides programming control means comprising a main rotary ratchet mechanism for stepping on a punched chart, auxiliary rotary ratchet means, means under control of a hole in the punched chart operable to render the auxiliary rotary ratchet means operative when required, and notched disc means rotatable with said auxiliary rotary ratchet means for rendering the main rotary ratchet mechanism in operative for a predetermined period governed by the distance between the notches in the notched disc means. Conveniently there is a plurality of auxiliary rotary ratchet means, means under control of differently positioned holes in the punched chart operable to render the plurality of auxiliary ro-* tary ratchet means operative selectively when required, and a plurality of notched disc devices having differently spaced notches and rotatable with the plurality of auxiliary rotary ratchet means respectively for rendering the main ratchet mechanism inoperative for predetermined periods of difierent durations governed by the different distances between the notches in the plurality of notched disc means. Conveniently also there are auxiliary bluffing control means for auxiliary pawl means of the auxiliary rotary ratchet means, main bluffing control means for main pawl means of the main rotary ratchet means, means under control of the hole in the punched chart for controlling the auxiliary blufflng control means, and said main bluffing means being under control of the notched disc means. More specifically there is a plurality of bluffmg control members for a plurality of auxiliary pawls of the plurality of auxiliary rotary ratchet means, a plurality of main bluffing control members for a main pawl of the main rotary ratchet means, means under control of differently positioned holes in the punched chart for controlling the plurality of auxiliary bluffing control members, and said plurality of main bluffing control members being under control of the plurality of notched disc means. Conveniently there is a plurality of feeler means for cooperation with the punched chart, cam operated means for raising and lowering the feeler means to and from the punched chart, a plurality of two part latch devices first parts of which are under control of the plurality of feeler means respectively for engagement and disengagement of the latches and which are also connected to the plurality of auxiliary bluffing control members respectively, and a common second part of which has a connection to the cam operating mechanism for the latter to operate the latch devices to control the auxiliary bluffing control members, and a lost motion in the said connection to allow first for engagement of the latch parts selectively before their operation to control the auxiliary bluffing control members.

in one arrangement there is a punched chart main ratchet wheel, a main pawl for the main ratchet wheel. a plurality of auxiliary ratchet wheels, a plurality of auxiliary pawls for the auxiliary ratchet wheels, a first cam operated mechanism for operating the main and auxiliary pawls, a plurality of main bluff control members for the main pawl, a plurality of auxiliary bluff control members for the auxiliary pawls, a plurality of feelers for cooperating with holes in the punched chart, second cam operated means for raising and lowering the feeler means to and from the punched chart, a latch device comprising a plurality of latch parts connected to the plurality of auxiliary bluff control members and a single latch part having a lost motion connection to the second cam operated means, means under control of the plurality of feeler means and associated with the plurality of latch parts respectively for the latter to be displaceable selectively to a latch-engaging position with the single latch part, a plurality of notched discs having differently spaced notices and rotatable with the auxiliary ratchet wheels respectively, and the main bluff control means being under control of the notches in the notched discs.

The invention also provides programming control means comprising a main rotary ratchet mechanism for stepping on a punched chart, auxiliary rotary ratchet mechanism, control means under control of holes in the punched chart for rendering the auxiliary rotary ratchet mechanism operative, and rotary indexing means operable by the auxiliary ratchet mechanism for rendering the main rotary ratchet mechanism inoperative for periods governed by the pitch of the rotary indexing means. The invention further provides programming control means for controlling production of knitted courses in a straight bar knitting machine comprising a main rotary ratchet mechanism adapted for stepping on a punched chart one rack per knitted course, a pair of auxiliary rotary ratchet mechanisms adapted for racking once per knitted course, con trol means under control of different holes in the punched chart for rendering the pair of auxiliary rotary ratchet mechanisms operative selectively, and a pair of rotary indexing means having different pitches and operable by the pair of auxiliary rotary ratchet mechanisms respectively for rendering the main rotary ratchet means inoperative for periods governed by the different pitches of the pair of rotary indexing means, so that predetermined different numbers of knitted courses are produced while at least one of the pairs of auxiliary rotary ratchet mechanisms is operative and the punched chart is stationary, whereby the punched chart can be of desired short length. Conveniently the main rotary ratchet mechanism includes a single main pawl, the auxiliary rotary ratchet mechanism comprises a pair of auxiliary ratchet wheels and a pair of auxiliary pawls, a first cam operated mechanism is provided for operating the pawls, a pair of feelers for the punched chart are under raising and lowering control of a second cam operating mechanism and there is provided, a pair of auxiliary bluff control members for the auxiliary pawls, a pair of catch members for operation of the bluff control members and selectable from the feelers respectively, a latch for releasable connection with the catch members respectively and having a lost motion connection to the second cam operating means for imparting operation to the auxiliary bluff control members for introducing the auxiliary rotary ratchet mechanisms respectively, a pair of differently notched discs rotatable with the auxiliary rotary ratchet mechanisms respectively, and a pair of main bluff control members for the main pawl and which are under control of the notched discs respectively.

The above and other features of the invention set out in the appended claims are incorporated in the construction which will now be described, as a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a front view of programming control means according to the invention.

FIG. 2, is a plan view ofpart of HO. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detail perspective view of part of the control means.

H6. 4 is a detail view of a notched disc of the control means.

FIG. is a detail view of another notched disc of the control means.

Referring to FIG. 1 the programming control means is of the type, primarily for control of courses and fashions in a straight bar knitting machine, wherein a chart of punched holes is stepped-on by racking mechanism comprising a main ratchet wheel 1 and a main pawl 2, which is biased towards the ratchet wheel by a spring 2a, and reader means comprises feeler levers such as 3 which have pegs to cooperate with the holes and are intermittently applied to the chart by operation of a rocking lever 4, 21 depending arm 5 pivotally supported by lever 4, and a bell crank lever 6 which is biased by a spring 6a and is rocked, at times required for every course produced, by suitable cam operated mechanism from the main cam shaft of the machine. This operating mechanism comprises a link 6b connecting the lever 6 to a bell crank lever 60 which is connected by a link 6d to a cam follower lever 6e engaging a cam 6f on the machine s main cam shaft 6g.

The pawl 2 is carried by a lever 20 on a pivot 7 as hereinafter more fully referred to.

The ratchet wheel 1 is normally racked-on step-by-step by operation of the pawl 2, for which purpose the lever 20 carrying the pawl 2 is connected to an operating rod 8 which is operated by suitable cam operated mechanism from the main cam shaft. This mechanism comprises a cam follower lever 80 connected to the operating rod 8 and engaging a cam 8b on the main cam shaft 6g.

For control of the pawl 2 there is a pair of laterally spaced control arms 9, 10, FIG. 2, biased by springs such as 911, the pawl 2 carrying oppositely directed pegs 11, 12 to be engaged by tail parts such as 9b, FIG. 1 of the arms 9, 10 respectively which are supported on pivot 9h.

Each control arm 9, 10 has a V shaped projection such as 90, FIG. 1, for cooperation with V shaped notches 13a, 14a, FIGS. 4, 5, of notched discs 13, 14 on the pivot 7.

Also on the pivot 7 and secured to the respective discs l3, 14 are auxiliary ratchet wheels 15, 16, FIG. 2, with spaced cooperating auxiliary pawls 17, 18, the latter being carried, through a pivot 19, by one end of the lever on the pivot 7 and which at its other end carries the pawl 2. The lever 20 is connected to the operating rod 8 by the pivot 19 for operating the three pawls.

The pawls l7, 18 are under control of a pair of spaced control members 21, 22, FIG. 3, which cooperate with pegs 23, 24, FIG. 1, on the pawls 17, 18, and which are pivotally mounted by bushes 25, 26 on a common pivot 27, FIG. 1.

For control of the pawls 17, 18 there are connected to the latches 28, 29, FIGS. 1, 2, 3, having hook ends 28a, 29a for releasable engagement with pegs 30, 31 projecting from an operating lever 32 pivoted at 33, biased by a spring 32a, and connected at its lower end to a link 34 which is connected to the bell crank lever 6 by a slot 34a and a peg 6h, FIG. 1.

For operating the latches 28, 29, they have tail parts 28b, 29b, FIG. 2, engaged by selector levers 35, 36 which are pivoted at 37 and have tail parts 35a, 36a engaging on two of the feeler levers 3, 3a.

The operating lever 32, FIG. 1, also has a catch 32b for engagement by a latch 320 which is displaceable into and out of operative position by a rod 32d connecting it to an arm 32e which has opposite side pegs such as 32f engaged by parts of the control arms 9, 10.

The control arms 9, 10 also have connected to them rods such as 9d which have end slots 9e engaging pegs such as 9f projecting from opposite sides of an arm 9g and one of which bears against the depending arm 5.

The number of teeth in the discs ratchet wheels l5, 16 is a whole factor of 360 between 24 and 60 inclusive, the number of control points on the disc 13 is between three and five inclusive, and the relationship between the different numbers of the discs control points and the teeth is such that the different numbers of the control points are prime factors of the number of the teeth, for example according to the following table.

No. 2 Disc Disc ratchet No. l Disc Degree Number of Notches wheels number of teeth Number of Notches spacing of teeth By this formula of numbers of control points and teeth, it is assured that at no time can more than one of the control points of each disc be in mutual registry during a revolution thereof.

Although the formula of numbers in the foregoing table is for a range of ratchet wheels of particularly practical form having the number of teeth specified between 24 to 60, it is to be understood that the formula of numbers can be extended, with similar results, for a range of ratchet wheels having a larger or smaller number of teeth.

In use, and assuming for example that the illustrated discs l3, 14, with three and ten notches and the ratchet wheels 15, 16 with 30 teeth are fitted, the discs are first arranged so that one of the control points of each disc are in mutual registry at the locations of the projections 9a, 10a of the control members 9, 10 so that the pawl 2 is in operative engagement with the ratchet wheel 1 for the programming chart which will be therefore racked-on step-by-step until a particular machine operation is to be repeated.

If the repeat is for only two courses, it is convenient merely to continue racking step-by-step for two courses.

If the repeat is for say ten courses, this can be obtained from the disc 13 since the ratchet wheel has 30 teeth and the disc has three notices and 30 divided by three is [0. The required repeat is indicated when a particular hole in the punched chart registers with the feeler 3. When at this stage the bell crank lever 6 is next operated by the cam 6f to apply the feelers such as 3 to the chart, the particular hole allows further lowering of the feeler 3 thereby to allow clockwise movement of the selector lever 35 which allows anticlockwise movement of the latch 28 so that the hook end 280 engages around the peg 30 as shown in FIG. 1. During this time the upper peg 6h of the bell crank lever 6 has been riding with a lost motion along the slot 34a in the link 34 so that thereafter a further movement of the bell crank lever 6 rocks the operating lever 32 to pull the engaged latch 28 which moves the control member 21 away from the pawl 17 whereby the pawl 17 first engages and then turns the ratchet wheel 15 by operation of the cam 8b.

This turns the disc 13 so that the projection of the control lever 9 is pushed clear of the notch 13a. In this movement of the control lever 9 it pushes the peg 11 to move the main pawl 2 clear of the main ratchet wheel 1.

Accordingly the programming chart is held stationary while the disc 13 continues to be racked step-by-step by the pawl 17 and cam 8b, during which further courses are produced to the required number of ten whereupon the next notch of the disc 13 has arrived opposite the projection 9c. The spring 9a then pulls the selector arm 9 to engage its nose 90 with this new notch and this movement allows the main pawl 2 to be pulled by the spring 20 back into engagement with the main ratchet wheel 1 which is thereupon racked again by the cam 8b for again racking the programming chart. In the meantime the feeler lever 3 has been raised from the chart by the bell crank lever 6, in a manner to be explained thereby releasing the latch 28 from the operating lever 32 for the control member 21 to return the pawl 17 clear of the auxiliary ratchet wheel 15 to stop racking the disc 13.

In explanation, when the selector arm 9 was pushed clear of the disc 13 it also engaged the peg 32f to push the arm 32e, and this raised the latch 32c to engage the catch 32b whereby undesired repeat operations of the lever 32 and associated parts was avoided until the selector arm 9 was returned whereupon it allowed a spring 32g to release the latch 32c from the catch 32b. Then the spring 32a pulled the lever 32 and the link M ready for reoperation of the bell crank lever 6 and prop 5 for raising the feeler lever 3 as aforesaid.

in addition when the selector arm 9 was pushed clear of the disc ll? it also pushed the link M which pushed against the peg 9}", and this displaced the depending arm 5 clear of the bell crank lever b, so that undesired repeat operations of the depending arm 5 and associated parts was avoided until the selector arm i returned whereupon it allowed the spring 6a to return the depending arm 5 into position to provide for the operation of the bell crank lever ti being transmitted to the feeler lever 3.

if the repeat is say for three courses, the disc lid is similarly brought into and out of operation with the programming chart stationary while the three courses are produced, by means of another hole in the chart controlling the feeler 3n, FIG. 2 and its associated bell crank lever b, latch 29, control member 22 and pawl lib.

If the repeat is say for 30 courses, both discs are brought into operation from two holes in the chart, and since all notches except one in each disc are out of mutual registry, there will be thereafter one or the other of the control members 9, ill holding the pawl 2 ineffective while the discs complete a revolution during which 30 courses are produced. Following the last course the mutually registering notches will again be opposite the projections ha, lltia for release of the pawl 2 to recommence racking-on of the chart.

By suitable arrangements of the holes in the chart the repeats may be for other numbers of courses. for example four repeats can be obtained by one rack of the chart only followed by three racks of the disc ll ll only, and if two racks of the chart are used instead of the one, five repeats are obtained, and so on. in another example seven repeats can be obtained by three racks of the disc ll l, one rack of the chart and three more racks of the disc ll l. In yet another example, 13 repeats may be obtained by three racks of disc 14 and then racks of disc 13. ln a further important example large numbers of repeats can be obtained such for example as 61 repeats by 30 racks of both discs, then one rack of the chart, and then 30 more racks of both discs, and so on.

it will be understood that discs and ratchet wheels having any of the other formulated combinations of notches and teeth may be employed with equally versatile results.

What we claim is:

l. in a straight bar knitting machine a repeat operation control mechanism for obtaining between successive stepwise motions of a first machine member, a predetermined group number of stepwise motions of a second machine member, comprising in combination, a first stepwise operable member connected to said first machine member, a second stepwise operable member adjacent said first stepwise operable member, said second machine member including a notched disc means and said second stepwise operable member, the notched disc means being connected to said second stepwise operable member for rotation therewith, first and second reciprocal members in cooperative association with said first and second stepwise operable members respectively, a record connected to said first stepwise operable member and having record element positions, reader means in cooperative association with said record for sensing said record element positions, a first control mechanism including a control member in operable association with said second reciprocal member and with said reader means, for rendering said second reciprocal member effective on said second stepwise operable member for stepwise operating said second machine member when the reader means senses a record element position, and including a catch device, said notched disc means having alternating notches and plain peripheral surfaces of predetermined lengths, a second control mechanism including a selector lever in operable association with said notched disc means and operable, by riding out of a notch in said disc means to render said first reciprocal member ineffective, said selector lever being maintained thus operated by a following plain peripheral surface while a predetermined group of stepwise operations of said second machine member are effected by said second reciprocal member, and by riding into a following notch to render said first reciprocal member again effective, and said second control mechanism also including a latch device operably controllable by said selector lever for releasable engagement with said catch device to releasably hold said control member ineffective on said second reciprocal member while the latter affects said predetermined group of stepwise operations of said second machine member.

2. In a straight bar-knitting machine a repeat operation control mechanism for obtaining, between successive stepwise motions of first rotary means, a selection of different predete rmined group numbers of stepwise motions of second rotary means, comprising in combination, first and second reciprocal means operably associated with said first and second rotary means, a record mechanism operable by said first rotary means, a first control mechanism operable from said record for controlling operation of said second reciprocal means and including a catch, first and second notched disc means connected to said second rotary means and having alternating notched and plain peripheral surfaces of different predetermined lengths, and a second control mechanism in operable association with said notched disc means for holding said first reciprocal means ineffective for different periods under control of said different length surfaces of said notched disc means and including latch means operable for causing said second reciprocal means to be effective for said different periods.

3. In a straight bar knitting machine a repeat operation control mechanism comprising in combination first pawl means and first ratchet wheel means, a record having record element positions and stepwise operable by said first ratchet wheel means, second pawl means and second ratchet wheel means, notched disc means having alternating notches and predetermined length peripheral surfaces and stepwise operable by said second ratchet wheel means, cam means for operating said first and second pawl means, reader means for said record a control member for said second pawl. means, first link and lever means operable by said reader means for rendering said control member effective on said second ratchet wheel means to stepwise operate said notched disc means and including catch lever means, second link and lever means including selector lever means operable by said notches and peripheral surfaces of said notched disc means for rendering said first pawl means ineffective on said first ratchet wheel means for periods determined by the lengths of said peripheral surfaces, and including latch means for releasable engagement with said catch lever means to releasably hold said control member ineffective on said second pawl means during said periods, and spring means for return biassing said first pawl means, said catch lever means, and said selector lever means.

t. Mechanism as claimed in claim 3 wherein said catch lever means includes a lost motion connected bell crank lever, a rocking lever is operable on said reader means, a first link is connected to said rocking lever and has releasable connection with said bell crank lever, and a second link is connected to said selector lever means and has a lost motion association with said first link.

5. in a straight bar knitting machine the combination with a cam shaft and a punched chart pawl and ratchet wheel and reader feelers, of cam operated means operable from said shaft for racking said pawl and applying said reader feelers normally once per revolution of the shaft while each time a knitted course is produced, an auxiliary pawl and ratchet wheel with attached notched disc means having alternating notches and plain positions, a control mechanism connected between said auxiliary pawl and said reader feelers and opera ble by said feelers reading a punched chart hole for rendering said auxiliary pawl effective to rack said auitiliary ratchet wheel and notched disc means, a releasable catch means ill id operable for causing said auxiliary pawl to be effective, and a selector mechanism disposed to be operable by said plain portions of said notched disc means and for thereby rendering said punched chart pawl and reader feelers ineffective for periods governed by the lengths of said plain portions and also operable by said notches of said notched disc means for thereby releasing said catch means following each said period to render said auxiliary pawl ineffective and reintroduce the punched chart pawl and reader feelers.

6. Programming means for controlling different operations and repetition of like machine operations, comprising in combination, relatively movable punched chart and reader means, at least two stepping-on mechanisms adjacent said punched chart and reader means, at least two starting members operably associated with said stepping-on mechanisms respec tively, power-operated means operably disposed for releasable connection to said starting members, at least two reader members in said reader means and operable by the punched chart for controlling said releasable connection to said starting members of said power-operated means, at least two notched control members operably connected to said stepping-on mechanisms respectively and having notches spaced by butts of predetermined different sizes respectively, at least two follower members disposed for operation by said notched control members respectively, first motion transmitting means disposed for operation by said follower members and adapted for releasable connection with said power-operated means, and second and third motion transmitting means disposed for operation by said follower members and adapted for rendering said punched chart and reader means inoperative, whereby said stepping-on mechanisms and their respective associated means can be selected by said reader members for operation of said notched control members each without the other and together at different required times.

7. In a straight bar knitting machine a programming means comprising in combination, relatively stepwise operable record means, at least two record-sensing members operably associated with said record means for controlling machine operations, and auxiliary control means operably associated with said record means and record-sensing members and comprising at least two notched members with predetermined different size butts between the respective notches, first control means including at least two starting devices for said notched members respectively and under respective control of said record-sensing members for causing said notched means to be operative each independently of the other and together during required different periods respectively of repetition of a machine operation to predetermined different extents, second control means including at least two control members associated with said notched members for operation thereby respectively for causing said record and record-sensing means to be inoperative at the start of said periods and to continue inoperative during said periods, the durations of said periods being governed by the predetermined size of said butts, and said first and second control means being return operable under control of said notches for rendering said record means and record-sensing members again operative and said notched means again inoperative.

8. Programming means in a straight bar knitting machine having a cam shaft, relatively stepwise operable record and record-sensing means for controlling machine operations, and also having, for enabling a saving in the length of the record during required periods of repetition of a machine operation, stepwise operable notched means with predetermined size butts between the notches, a first cam and cam follower mechanism operable by said shaft and operably associated with said record and with said notched means for operation of said record and said notched means, first control means arranged to be operable consequent upon said record-sensing means detecting predetermined parts of the record for causing said notched means to start operating at the start of said periods and to continue operating during said periods, a second cam and cam follower mechanism operable by said shaft and operably associated with said first control means and with said record-sensing means for operation of said first control means and said record-sensing means, and second control means operable under control of said butts for causing said record and record-sensing means to be inoperative at the start of said periods and to continue inoperative during said periods, the duration of said periods being governed by the predetermined size of said butts, and said first and second control means being return operable under control of said notches for rendering said record and record-sensing means again operative and said notched means again inoperative. 

1. In a straight bar knitting machine a repeat operation control mechanism for obtaining between successive stepwise motions of a first machine member, a predetermined group number of stepwise motions of a second machine member, comprising in combination, a first stepwise operable member connected to said first machine member, a second stepwise operable member adjacent said first stepwise operable member, said second machine member including a notched disc means and said second stepwise operable member, the notched disc means being connected to said second stepwise operable member for rotation therewith, first and second reciprocal members in cooperative association with said first and second stepwise operable members respectively, a record connected to said first stepwise operable member and having record element positions, reader means in cooperative association with said record for sensing said record element positions, a first control mechanism including a control member in operable association with said second reciprocal member and with said reader means, for rendering said second reciprocal member effective on said second stepwise operable member for stepwise operating said second machine member when the reader means senses a record element position, and including a catch device, said notched disc means having alternating notches and plain peripheral surfaces of predetermined lengths, a second control mechanism including a selector lever in operable association with said notched disc means and operable, by riding out of a notch in said disc means to render said first reciprocal member ineffective, said selector lever being maintained thus operated by a following plain peripheral surface while a predetermined group of stepwise operations of said second machine member are effected by said second reciprocal member, and by riding into a following notch to render said first reciprocal member again effective, and said second control mechanism also including a latch device operably controllable by said selector lever for releasable engagement with said catch device to releasably hold said control member ineffective on said second reciprocal member while the latter affects said predetermined group of stepwise operations of said second machine member.
 2. In a straight bar-knitting machine a repeat operation control mechanism for obtaining, between successive stepwise motions of first rotary means, a selection of different predetermined group numbers of stepwise motions of second rotary means, comprising in combination, first and second reciprocal means operably associated with said first and second rotary means, a record mechanism operable by said first rotary means, a first control mechanism operable from said record for controlling operation of said second reciprocal means and including a catch, first and second notched disc means connected to said second rotary means and having alternating notched and plain periPheral surfaces of different predetermined lengths, and a second control mechanism in operable association with said notched disc means for holding said first reciprocal means ineffective for different periods under control of said different length surfaces of said notched disc means and including latch means operable for causing said second reciprocal means to be effective for said different periods.
 3. In a straight bar knitting machine a repeat operation control mechanism comprising in combination first pawl means and first ratchet wheel means, a record having record element positions and stepwise operable by said first ratchet wheel means, second pawl means and second ratchet wheel means, notched disc means having alternating notches and predetermined length peripheral surfaces and stepwise operable by said second ratchet wheel means, cam means for operating said first and second pawl means, reader means for said record a control member for said second pawl means, first link and lever means operable by said reader means for rendering said control member effective on said second ratchet wheel means to stepwise operate said notched disc means and including catch lever means, second link and lever means including selector lever means operable by said notches and peripheral surfaces of said notched disc means for rendering said first pawl means ineffective on said first ratchet wheel means for periods determined by the lengths of said peripheral surfaces, and including latch means for releasable engagement with said catch lever means to releasably hold said control member ineffective on said second pawl means during said periods, and spring means for return biassing said first pawl means, said catch lever means, and said selector lever means.
 4. Mechanism as claimed in claim 3 wherein said catch lever means includes a lost motion connected bell crank lever, a rocking lever is operable on said reader means, a first link is connected to said rocking lever and has releasable connection with said bell crank lever, and a second link is connected to said selector lever means and has a lost motion association with said first link.
 5. In a straight bar knitting machine the combination with a cam shaft and a punched chart pawl and ratchet wheel and reader feelers, of cam operated means operable from said shaft for racking said pawl and applying said reader feelers normally once per revolution of the shaft while each time a knitted course is produced, an auxiliary pawl and ratchet wheel with attached notched disc means having alternating notches and plain positions, a control mechanism connected between said auxiliary pawl and said reader feelers and operable by said feelers reading a punched chart hole for rendering said auxiliary pawl effective to rack said auxiliary ratchet wheel and notched disc means, a releasable catch means operable for causing said auxiliary pawl to be effective, and a selector mechanism disposed to be operable by said plain portions of said notched disc means and for thereby rendering said punched chart pawl and reader feelers ineffective for periods governed by the lengths of said plain portions and also operable by said notches of said notched disc means for thereby releasing said catch means following each said period to render said auxiliary pawl ineffective and reintroduce the punched chart pawl and reader feelers.
 6. Programming means for controlling different operations and repetition of like machine operations, comprising in combination, relatively movable punched chart and reader means, at least two stepping-on mechanisms adjacent said punched chart and reader means, at least two starting members operably associated with said stepping-on mechanisms respectively, power-operated means operably disposed for releasable connection to said starting members, at least two reader members in said reader means and operable by the punched chart for controlling said releasable connection to said starting members of said power-operAted means, at least two notched control members operably connected to said stepping-on mechanisms respectively and having notches spaced by butts of predetermined different sizes respectively, at least two follower members disposed for operation by said notched control members respectively, first motion transmitting means disposed for operation by said follower members and adapted for releasable connection with said power-operated means, and second and third motion transmitting means disposed for operation by said follower members and adapted for rendering said punched chart and reader means inoperative, whereby said stepping-on mechanisms and their respective associated means can be selected by said reader members for operation of said notched control members each without the other and together at different required times.
 7. In a straight bar knitting machine a programming means comprising in combination, relatively stepwise operable record means, at least two record-sensing members operably associated with said record means for controlling machine operations, and auxiliary control means operably associated with said record means and record-sensing members and comprising at least two notched members with predetermined different size butts between the respective notches, first control means including at least two starting devices for said notched members respectively and under respective control of said record-sensing members for causing said notched means to be operative each independently of the other and together during required different periods respectively of repetition of a machine operation to predetermined different extents, second control means including at least two control members associated with said notched members for operation thereby respectively for causing said record and record-sensing means to be inoperative at the start of said periods and to continue inoperative during said periods, the durations of said periods being governed by the predetermined size of said butts, and said first and second control means being return operable under control of said notches for rendering said record means and record-sensing members again operative and said notched means again inoperative.
 8. Programming means in a straight bar knitting machine having a cam shaft, relatively stepwise operable record and record-sensing means for controlling machine operations, and also having, for enabling a saving in the length of the record during required periods of repetition of a machine operation, stepwise operable notched means with predetermined size butts between the notches, a first cam and cam follower mechanism operable by said shaft and operably associated with said record and with said notched means for operation of said record and said notched means, first control means arranged to be operable consequent upon said record-sensing means detecting predetermined parts of the record for causing said notched means to start operating at the start of said periods and to continue operating during said periods, a second cam and cam follower mechanism operable by said shaft and operably associated with said first control means and with said record-sensing means for operation of said first control means and said record-sensing means, and second control means operable under control of said butts for causing said record and record-sensing means to be inoperative at the start of said periods and to continue inoperative during said periods, the duration of said periods being governed by the predetermined size of said butts, and said first and second control means being return operable under control of said notches for rendering said record and record-sensing means again operative and said notched means again inoperative. 